Capsule-machine.



H. I. HUBERT.

CAPSULE VIACHINE.

APPLxcATxoN FILED ocT.1, 19:7.

Patented Apr. 29,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEETl 1I 2i TED STATES arr nien. y

HENRY J'. HUBERT, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO J' OI-IN T.MILLIKEN, 0F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI; NATIONAL BANK F COMMERCE IN ST. LOUIS,OHN G.l LONSDALE, AND H. W. LOEB EXECUTORS OF SAID JOHN T. MILLIKEN,DECEASED.

CAPSULE-MACHINE To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HENRY J. HUBERT, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of the city of St. Louis andState of Missouri, have inventeda new and useful Improvement in Capsule-Machines, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to capsule machines, and more particularly tothat portion of such machines where the finished body and ca p halveslof the capsules are joined together, as by telescoping the one withinthe other, -prior to being discharged from the machine.

It hasmore particularly to do with the joiner-bar construction byitself, the object Y being to produce an improved joiner-bar which willafford compensation for considerable variation in the diameters of thecapsule shells and accurately position them in telescoping relationso asto facilitate the assembling of the cap and body sections of thecapsules, thereby avoiding waste and damage to the mechanism of themachine, such as has heretofore occurred, due to the jamming of thecapsule sections which were not brought into accurate juxtaposition fortelescoping.` A further object is to produce a structure which may bereadily substituted for that heretofore employed in machines of thischaracter, without necessitating any material alteration in the balanceof the mechanism. Other objects and advantages to be attained willhereinafter more fully appear. In the accompanying drawings illustratmga practicalY adaptation of the invention,-

Figure 1 is a fragmentary View, partly in top plan and partly inhorizontal section, of the joiner-bar and so much of the machine ascoperates directly therewith;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section Aon the line 2 2 `of Fig. 1, the cap andbody holders being shown as actuated to join the two sections of thecapsule;

Fig. 8 is a similar view, the cap and body holders `being shown in theirreceiving positions, and the joiner-bar turned `to receive the ejectorwhich discharges the capsule;

Fig. 4 is a face view and section of the joiner-bar, at right angles tothat shown in Fig. 1, showing the split bushing inend Specification ofLetters Patent.

Application led October 1, 1917. Serial No. 194,296.

rateatea api. es, isis..

view, and in cross section on the lines 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is an end View of the sections of the split bushing and theresilient split retaining ring detached. 4

Referring now to the drawings, the joiner-bar is indicated by thenumeral l. Only a fragment of this bar is shown, as it is the samethroughout its length. In practice, it is provided at its ends withbearings 2, which are journaled in the frame of the machine (not shown).In the machine, which is of thel usual or well-known construction andarrangement, this bar is given an intermittent rocking or oscillatingmove ment, approximately a quarter turn, or more or less, as the casemay be, according to the relative arrangement of the coperating parts ofthe machine. i

At `intervals throughout its length, the bar` 1 is provided withtransverse, parallel bores 3. As shown, thesebores are of two diameters,and mounted loosely therein are expansible bushings 4. These bushings,as shown, e ternally,'ar'e counterparts of the bores 3, but ofconsiderably smaller diameter, so as topermit expansion, and they `arepreferably made in ythree sections or segments (see Fig. l5); They areretained in the bores, with limited endwise movement to prevent binding,by a perforated plate 5, the openings ,6, of the latter being slightlylarger in diameter than the reduced end portions 7 of the bushings. Inthe larger portion of the bushing, and approximately midway between itsends, is an annular circumferential groove in which a split resilientring 8 is placed, whereby the sections of the bushing are yieldably4held in normally closed relation.

From one end the bushing 4 has a bore 9 corresponding to the desiredminimum diameter of the capsule body half, andfrom its opposite end ithas a bore 10 corresponding likewise to the desired diameter of the caphalf of the capsule,'there being a slight abrupt shoulder llatlthemeeting inner ends Aof the two bores.' The outer end portions of -v IPivotally mounted at opposite sides of f the joiner-bar are the usualcarriers 13 for the shell-holders 1l and 15 for the body and capA'halves of the capsule, respectively.V

- bores 17 for connection with a suction dethe bushings l.

vice (not shown), whereby the capsule sectionsare held on the members 14and 15, untilthe latter .are moved into coperative relation to thejoinen-barand then moved endwise to forcethe capsule sections into Afterthe capsule sections have enteredthe bushings, andjust prior to thecompletion of ,the inward stroke of the members 14 and 15, they arerelieved of the suction.

Inv the operation of the machine, the member 15 is actuatedbeforethe'member 1l, so that the cap half of the capsule is first brought intothe bushingl against the shoulder l1, and theny the member 1l pushes thebody half of the capsule through the bore 9 and telescopes it with thecaphalf.

The construction andarrangement of the split ybushing 14 Vis such thatit assures the proper alinementof the capsule sections to facilitate thetelescoping thereof, and itis yieldableito compensa-te for variation inthe .diameters of the respective shells.

.After .the capsule is joined, as shown in Fig. 2, the lmembers lland 15are Withdrawnfandturnedito receive another charge,

as shovvnvinV Fig. 3. Atthe same time, the

joiner-barl is given a quarter turn into cooperative relation to anejector 18 which is in turn reciprocatedthrough the bushing l todischarge the capsule therefrom.

As the parts of the machine'other than the joiner-bar are of the usualand WellknoWn-construction and arrangement, it is deemed unnecessary toVillustrate them completely in the drawings. Therefore, only such partsthatacoperate directly with the joinerfbar are illustrated fragmentarilyyor schematically. It is also obvious that the `joiner-bar andexpansible `bushings admit of considerable modificationl Withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention as denedby the appendedclaims.- Therefore, `it is not limited to the specific construction andarrangement.- shown.

Whatis claimed is: 1.4In1a` capsule machine, a )omer device :comprisingan expansible bushing having scopic relation, said bushing comprisingradially movable sections and means for yieldingly holding themtogether.

2. Ina capsule machine, a `joiner device comprising a bar having atransverse bore therethrough, and an expansible bushing mounted looselyin saidbore having concentric bores of different diameters adaptedrelation, said bushing comprising radially @movable .sections and meansfor yieldingly holding them together.

3. In a capsule machine, a joiner device comprising a bar havingatransverse bore therethrough, and an expansible bushing mountedlooselyinsaid bore, saidbushing having an axial bore from one end correspondingto the cap half of the capsule and a similar bore from its oppositeendcorresponding to the bodyhalf` of the capsule, `and an annular shoulderat the `meeting inner ends of said axial? bores, the outer end portions`of said axial bores being liared, said bushing comprising radially`movable sections and lmeans 4forfyieldingly yholding 90 them together.Y

4. In a capsule machine, a -joiner device comprising a bushing-splitlongitudinally to provide separa-ble segmental sections, and resilientmeans for yieldably holding said `segmental sections in normallyclosedrela- -resilientmeans `for yieldably holding said segmentalsections in `normally closedzrelation, said bushing having an Aaxialbore from one end corresponding to the cap half of the capsule and asimilar bore from its opposite end corresponding tothe bodyhalf of thecapsule, and an annular shoulder at the Ymeeting inner ends ofl said`axial bores, the

outer end portions of said axial bores being flared.

y(-In a. capsule machine, a'joiner kdevice comprising a bar having atransverse bore therethroughand of two diameters, and a bushing mountedin' said bore, said bushing being, externally, a counterpart ofsaidbore, but of smaller diameter, said bushing being splitlongitudinally to provide separable segmental sections and having anannular circumferential groove therein, a split -resilient ring mountedin said :groove so as to yieldably holdn said segmental sections innormally closed,` relation, and means for re- 125 taining said bushinginthe bore of said bar With limitedv endvvise movement, said,`bushinghaving anaxial bore from one end cor- .responding` to the caphalfof the capsule anda. similarbore .ifromitsopposite end correspondingto the body half of the capsule, and an annular shoulder at the meetinginner end portions of said aXial bores, the outer end portions of saidaxial bores being flared.

7. In a capsule machine, in combination with the usual carriers for thecap and body halves of the capsule, and the ejector for the joinedcapsule, a joiner device comprising a bar movable to coperate with saidcarriers and said ejector, said bar having an eX- pansible bushing forthe reception of the cap and body halves of the capsule in telescopicrelation, said bushing comprising radially movable sections and means:tor yieldingly holding them together.

8. In a capsule machine, an oscillatory joiner-bar, carriers for the capand body -halves of the capsule, respectively operating on oppositesides of said joiner-bar, and an ejector operating in cooperativerelation to said joinerebar to discharge the joined capsule, saidjoiner-bar having a transverse bore therethrough, and a bushing mountedloosely in said bore, said bushing being split longitudinally to provideseparable segmental sections, and having an aXial bore from one endcorresponding to the cap half of the capsule and a similar bore from itsopposite end corresponding to the body half of the capsule, an annularshoulder at the meeting inner ends of said axial bores, and resilientmeans for yieldably holding said segmental sections in normally Closedrelation.

Signed at St. Louis, Missouri, this 29th day of September, 1917.

HENRY J. HUBERT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each.A by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C."

